Whitney Houston's voice made the song a smash hit, but it was "How Will I Know" songwriters Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill who crafted this tale of those seeking something special in a relationship. "Once again, inspiration was drawn from one of those dilemmas single people often experience, that twilight restlessness that washes in when you don't want to spend another evening alone and are longing for real love," Rubicam said. The songwriting team handed the demo to record label honcho Clive Davis and told him if he didn't like it, they'd record it for themselves. To Davis' credit, that didn't happen.